Healthy Packed Lunches for Early Years a Practical Guide for Parents and Carers

Eat better, start better Healthy packed lunches for early years A practical guide for parents and carers A healthy lunch every day will A healthy, balanced and nutritious packed lunch should include give your child the energy and foods from the following four food groups: nutrients they need to grow, develop and learn. Early years Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates settings are improving the These foods provide carbohydrate to give your child energy for food they provide and how the afternoon. they encourage children to eat healthily, and they need Fruit and vegetables your support. These foods provide vitamins and minerals to help protect against illness. The key to a balanced, nutritious Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins diet is variety. This leaflet provides These foods provide protein, iron and zinc to help your child grow. you with some ideas of what to include to ensure that your Dairy and alternatives children’s packed lunch is healthy, These foods are a good source of calcium, for strong bones and teeth. balanced and nutritious. Foods and drinks high in saturated fat, sugar (and/or salt) Try to limit these types of food and drink. Too much salt and saturated fat can increase the risk of some illnesses in later life while too much sugar can damage children’s teeth. actionforchildren.org.uk/eatbetterstartbetter Healthy packed lunches for early years More healthy Name: packed lunch ideas Class: Each day a healthy packed lunch should include: A portion of starchy food At least one portion of fruit and/or vegetable White or wholegrain bread, rolls, pitta bread or wraps, plain naan bread, bagels, Fresh, frozen, canned or dried, these can all cooked pasta, rice, noodles, couscous or count towards 5-A-DAY. potato as a salad. Vegetables: carrot, cucumber, pepper or celery sticks, tomatoes, grated carrot in sandwiches or wraps, sweetcorn, peas or pulses in salad. Fruits: sliced apple or melon, plums, grapes, strawberries, kiwi, satsumas, chunks of pineapple, or dried fruit. A portion of beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins Sliced meat, chicken, fish, sliced egg A portion of milk or dairy foods in sandwiches, rolls or wraps, meat alternatives such as tofu or pulses like Yoghurt or fromage frais, cheese in sandwiches kidney beans and chickpeas in salads. or wraps, whole milk (for children aged one to two) or semi-skimmed (for children aged two and over). Desserts, cakes, biscuits and crisps: these foods A drink – to help are high in saturated fat, sugar and salt – too much with hydration and of these foods can be harmful to health. concentration. Try to make desserts, puddings and cakes with fruit or milk, such as a yoghurt and fruit, or rice pudding. Water – is the best choice. Limit confectionery such as chocolate, sweets or cereal bars to Milk – use whole milk (for help protect your child’s teeth. children aged one to two) or semi-skimmed (for children Avoid salty snacks such as crisps. Replace with plain breadsticks. aged two and over). Avoid fruit juice (even diluted fruit juice). Avoid squash, fizzy drinks, and flavoured water even if labelled ‘sugar free’, ‘no added sugar’ or ‘reduced sugar’. These can contribute to tooth decay and have little nutritional value. actionforchildren.org.uk/eatbetterstartbetter For more ideas on healthy packed lunches visit: actionforchildren.org.uk Example packed lunch menu Provide a variety of foods from each of the food groups listed on the front page across each week. A week’s packed lunch menu might look like this: Practical tips Tuna and sweetcorn pasta salad with red pepper sticks for healthy, safe Mon Apple slices and plain yoghurt Water to drink and tasty packed lunches Chicken and potato with salad Communicate with your setting Ginger biscuits with satsumas Tue about your child’s packed lunch. Milk to drink • Inform your setting of food allergies or intolerances. • Check if your setting has a food policy. Cheese salad wrap • Ask how they store food. If they don’t Wed Banana and raisins have a fridge, use a cool bag and a frozen Water to drink bottle of water or reusable ice pack. Choosing foods Egg salad sandwich • Vary lunchbox contents for a good balance of nutrients. Thu Seasonal fruit salad with fromage frais Milk to drink • Seasonal fruits and vegetables add colour, texture and are often cheaper and tastier. • Read food labels. Look out for the colour Chickpea vegetable couscous salad coded nutrition information on the front of packets. Remember the more green(s) Mixed berries Fri on the label, the healthier the choice. Milk to drink Preparing the packed lunch • Include your child in shopping, choosing and preparing what goes in their lunchbox, giving them choices within the food groups. • Wash fruit and vegetables, and remove any stones. • Keep it fresh. Rinsing slices of apple in dilute lemon juice, for example, will stop the slices from turning brown. • Think sustainably. Use containers and cutlery that can be washed and used again. • Label your child’s packed lunch with their name. actionforchildren.org.uk/eatbetterstartbetter Eat better, start better Is your child starting school soon? Find out what Universal Free School Meals mean for your child Don’t forget to try school dinners Since September 2014 every infant (aged 5-7) in England is now entitled to a free, healthy and nutritious school lunch. What does this mean for me? If you have a child in reception or Year 1 or 2, you no longer need to pay for school meals or provide a packed lunch. This could save you approximately £400 per year. How do I know the lunch is healthy? All schools have to meet the new school food standards. This means that the food will be healthy and nutritious. How do I register my child? Just make sure your child is signed up. Contact the school for further details. For more information on Universal Infant Free School Meals visit www.actionforchildren.org.uk/eatbetterstartbetter Contact us Action for Children, 3 The Boulevard, Ascot Road, Watford, WD18 8AG www.actionforchildren.org.uk Registered charity nos: England and Wales 1097940. Scotland SC038092. Company no. 4764232. This publication was developed with funding from Medway Council to improve the health of under 5s. © Action for Children 2017, updated October 2017. 17/18 003.

Load more